This invention relates to sheet counting machines operating to count a number of sheets such as bank notes and cards.
There are two types of sheet counting machines known in the art. One is operated in a sheet counting mode in which a number of sheets to be counted in one sheet counting operation is predetermined and the sheet counting operation is suspended when the number of sheets counted reaches the predetermined number of sheets (hereinafter referred to as "an automatic stop mode"). The other is operated in a sheet counting mode in which all of the sheets inserted are counted, and upon completion of the sheet counting operation an alarm signal is generated if the number of sheets counted is more than or less than a predetermined reference number of sheets, for instance, 100 sheets (hereinafter referred to as "an alarm mode").
The former machine is used for dividing a stack or bundle of many sheets into a plurality of stacks each consisting of a predetermined number of sheets (for instance 100 sheets). The latter machine is used for confirming the number os sheets which are bundled so that the bundle includes a predetermined number of sheets, for instance 100 sheets, (hereinafter referred as "an official number of sheets"). Thus, the conventional sheet counting machine is operated only in the automatic stop mode or only in the alarm mode.
Accordingly, there is a strong demand for the provision of a sheet counting machine which can count a number of sheets in the alarm mode and also in the automatic stop mode, in order to improve efficiency in counting a number of sheets.